Creative Eco-Theology: Responding to the Ecological Crisis of Creation

Dear Colleagues,

The accelerating ecological crisis urges theology to move beyond simply adopting the vocabulary of environmental discourse or becoming a “Christianized” form of green ideology. For eco-theology to remain genuinely theological, it must respond to this crisis in a creative, biblically grounded, and spiritually resilient way. The pervasive pessimism surrounding ecological collapse often leads to resignation or silences theological reflection. Yet, even while acknowledging the undeniable severity of our situation, Christian theology is called to answer with the confidence described in Hebrews 11:1—“hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” This hope is not naïve idealism but a deeply rooted orientation toward God’s good creation and the divine vocation to care for it.

Lynn White’s well-known 1967 essay, “The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis”, helped trigger the emergence of new contextual theological approaches—later called eco-theology—by arguing that certain strands of Western Christianity contributed to ecological degradation. Even if White is only partially right about Christianity’s role, his critique challenged theologians and church communities to reconsider their interpretation of the biblical mandate to “till and keep” the earth (Gen 2:15).

Although eco-theology is one contextual theology among many in contemporary discourse, its scope is uniquely far-reaching. The ecological crisis does not merely challenge our doctrines of creation; it affects the whole of theology—biblical interpretation, systematic reflection, ethical reasoning, spiritual practices, liturgical life, and pastoral engagement. Because ecological disruption touches every dimension of human existence, present and future, eco-theology cannot be confined to a single subdiscipline. It becomes a lens through which the entire theological enterprise must reconsider its assumptions about God, humanity, community, technology, and hope.

This sense of comprehensive responsibility is captured powerfully in Laudato Si’ 159: because the world has been given to us, we cannot approach reality merely through a utilitarian or productivity-oriented lens. Intergenerational solidarity, far from being optional, is a fundamental question of justice, for the environment “is on loan to each generation, which must then hand it on to the next.” Such an insight invites Christian theology to articulate responses that are realistic about crisis yet animated by constructive imagination and moral responsibility.

This Special Issue seeks contributions that explore how eco-theology can respond creatively to the ecological crisis of creation. We invite papers that develop fresh theological frameworks, engage scriptural and historical resources, examine ethical and technological challenges, or propose renewed practices for church and society. Interdisciplinary perspectives—from ecological ethics, environmental humanities, liturgical studies, and technological ethics—are especially welcome.

Our aim is to gather research that demonstrates how theology, when rooted in its deepest sources, can generate hopeful, responsible, and imaginative responses to the ecological crisis facing creation today.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor, or to the Assistant Editor Ms. Violet Li (violet.li@mdpi.com) of Religions. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Tamás Kodácsy
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• eco-theology
• ecological crisis
• creation care
• environmental ethics
• ecological hermeneutics
• sustainability